A transfer mechanism for transferring an article from a first location to a second location utilizes a pivotally mounted article holder which upon engagement with the second location pivots to dispense the article at the second location.
A variety of toys are known which include small figurines characterized as people, animals, etc. Certain of these figurines are what can be classified as "ball people". These are small figurines having a body constructed to include a hollow bottom cavity wherein a rotatable ball is located. A portion of the ball extends out of the bottom of the body and the ball suspends the body from the surface and is rollable on the surface. Normally gravity will cause the figurine to roll upon its ball down a surface if the surface is inclined.
There are several toys which are known which utilize these "ball people". Among these are the toys described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,696 which is directed to a toy having an endless loop train and a wheel-like mechanism which will load a "ball person" onto the train. A second toy described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,507 also utilizes the "ball people" and includes a mechanism different from that described in the previously noted patent but similar in that it loads the "ball person" onto a moving vehicle. A third toy utilizing "ball people" is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,964 and includes a mechanism which lifts a "ball person" up through the center of a tower and then deposits the "ball person" into a helicopter shaped carrier. The helicopter shaped carrier includes a trap door which can further deposit the "ball person" down a ramp and ultimately onto a movable train-like vehicle which circles the tower on an endless track. The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,100,696; 4,150,507; and 4,128,964 are incorporated herein by reference.
Because of the physical appearance and the ability of the "ball people" to move the above noted toys are very interesting to the preschool-age child. The movement of the "ball people" in these toys encourages the child to investigate how the toys effect such movement and thus can educate the child and stimulate his mental development. Because of the acceptance of these "ball people" type toys as both a plaything and as a mental stimulus it is considered that other toys utilizing different mechanisms for movement of the "ball people" would also be effective in teaching a child and are thus highly desirable.